IF the blockades against plantations in the jungles of Ulu Kelantan are not stopped in Gua Musang, there will be an Orang Asli civil war.

This were the exact words of Zainal Chali, the chief of Pos Tohoi, the kampung at the epicentre of the conflict between activists of the Temiar tribe and planters.

Zainal’s stand reflects how deeply divided the Temiar are over the blockades erected by their own youths.  

The warning will further complicate the federal government’s efforts to bring the strife to an end, as there are now questions as to who really represents the area’s Temiar tribe.

Zainal said contrary to what the activists have claimed, not all Temiar in the 17 kampung in the area back the blockade.

A number of them work in the plantations which provides them an average income of RM800 per month, Zainal said.

“A majority of people in Pos Tohoi work in the plantations which give them a stable income. My children work in the plantations and they are very satisfied,” Zainal told The Malaysian Insight.

“The incomes have allowed the villagers to buy motorcycles and electric appliances. They are happy that they don’t have to travel to towns to work. That they can work and stay in the village.” 

The Kaleg blockade against the plantations has hurt its harvests and by extension, the ability of the firms to pay its Orang Asli employees, Zainal said.

“The activists man the blockade but it’s their women who work in the plantations. So, the husband is protesting against a plantation that is giving his family money.”

This is why Zainal, along with about six Orang Asli chiefs came to Kuala Lumpur on Aug 17 to petition the federal government and authorities to remove the blockades.

“We want the authorities to take action against the blockade. If not, there will be Orang Asli who will fight Orang Asli. A civil war.

“Because right now there are two groups. Orang Asli who agree (with the blockade) and those who do not agree. We are divided and there can be a clash between Orang Asli and Orang Asli. I promise you this can happen.”  

Two Temiar camps   

The blockades have been mounted and manned by activists of the Kelantan Indigenous People’s Network (JKOAK). In their memorandum submitted to the federal government on August 10, the group claimed to represent 17 kampung.  

The blockades, JKOAK said, were necessary to protecting jungles they claim are their tanah adat or customary land from being encroached by the plantations.

Decades of uncontrolled logging and clearing for plantations have destroyed the forests they have depended on for food, water, building materials, medicine and which are integral to their religion and culture, they said.

There are now three blockades, Cawas, Kaleg and Kegeeg in Ulu Kelantan.  

The Kaleg blockade has been the scene of tense stand-offs between workers of timber, latex clone, pineapple and musang king durian plantations.

On their part, the planters operating near Pos Tohoi affected by the Kaleg blockade said they have state government approval and support letters from the community in Pos Tohoi.

Zainal, who is now the chief of Pos Tohoi, confirms that the support letter was signed by his predecessor, the late Rahmat Abdullah.

According to another tok batin, Awin Pedik, Rahmat wanted to secure a source of income for his villagers. It was an idea that Zainal himself supported when it was discussed eight years ago.

After a 12-hour meeting, five village chiefs surrounding the Pos Tohoi area signed a letter supporting the firms in return for jobs at their plantations.

Plantations over jungles

The JKOAK activists want the plantations gone and the state government to gazette a section of the jungle to be used by the community as hutan rayau or communal roaming forest.

But Zainal and Awin disagree with the concept.

“The Orang Asli cannot depend on hutan rayau forever because it does not provide enough food for everyone. Plantations are a better source of income compared to the hutan rayau,” said Zainal.

The plantations have even taught his villagers better agricultural practices that can be used to increase crop yields in their own farms, he said.  

Awin said he tried to speak to the JKOAK activists in April to persuade them to end the blockade.

“I have tried persuading the activists not to take the law into their own hands but they just would not listen.”  

Asked why he and the other Pos Tohoi villagers did not try to end the blockade, Zainal said: “The village does not support the blockade but we are not aggressive people. We don’t want to fight with the activists because in the end, they are our own children. So, we are hoping that the authorities take action.” – August 20, 2018.